At a Glance

Year Established

1899

Total Specimens

66,000

Collection Strengths

Oklahoma Specimens >13,000

Tennessee Specimens 20,000

Mexican Specimens 9,400

Argentine Specimens 4,500

Research Strengths

Phylogenetics

Biodiversity

Dating back to 1899, the collection of mammals at the Sam Noble Museum has developed into a significant resource for research, museum exhibits and science education programs. Containing roughly 66,000 cataloged specimens, this collection represents 26 orders, 65 families, 412 genera and more than 850 species; it is the 13th largest collection in the Western Hemisphere. In 2011, the mammal collection from the University of Memphis was transferred to the Sam Noble Museum with funding from the National Science Foundation. The collection contains the largest number of mammalian specimens from Oklahoma and Tennessee; specimens from all 50 U.S. states are represented. This collection covers a wide geographic range; it is one of the ten largest collections of specimens from Mexico and we maintain the largest series of specimens from Argentina outside of that country. The collection recieved accreditation by the American Society of Mammalogists in 1975, 1982 and 2010. We support a wide range of scientific research by curators, professional staff and associates. And, we provide opportunities for discovery through teaching, training, and learning for teachers, students, interns and volunteers.